Willie McGinest releases statement after recent arrest: ‘I am embarrassed and regret what occurred’

Related: Patriots legend Willie McGinest arrested in Los Angeles, charged with a felony

Willie McGinest was arrested earlier this month following an altercation at a Los Angeles night club. The 51-year-old and a group of associates attacked a man, leading to the New England Patriots Hall of Famer to get charged with felony assault.

On Friday, McGinest took to Twitter to release his first statement since the incident:

First and foremost, I want to offer my deepest apology for my lapse in judgment and behavior on December 9 at a restaurant in West Hollywood. To my family, community, friends, and youth I mentor, please know I feel horrible for my actions and take full responsibility.

To my colleagues at the NFL Network and those I work closely with as an advisor to professional and community-based organizations, please know I am embarrassed and regret what occurred.

Most of all, I am disappointed in myself, as I know this is an isolated incident and is not reflective of my faith, role as a father, life’s body of work, or the role model I’ve worked hard to become. It is personally devastating that decades of community service, youth engagement, mentoring, and professional development would become an afterthought in a single moment that should have never happened.

This incident has prompted me to deep self-reflection — mind, soul, and spirit. I know that violence is never the answer to such situations, no matter how intense the provocation. Rest assured, I will take whatever steps necessary to restore the public trust, mend damaged relationships, and ensure this never happens again.

McGinest served as an analyst for NFL Network at the time of his arrest, but he has since been suspended by the network.